Bedspring



M. FISCHER Dec. 24, 1940.

BEDSPRING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1940 j Q INVENTOR.

ATTORNE YJ' M. FISCHER BEDSPRING Dec. 24, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23, 1940 Patented Dec. 24, 1940 1 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE v BEDSPRING Morris Fischer, Pittsburgh, Pa.Application February 23, 1940, Serial No. 320,322

8 Claims.

This invention is an improvement in a spring construction or assemblyparticularly designed for use in upholstery, such as a bedspring, or thelike.

In the present state of the art. modern development emphasizes thedesirability and advantage of providing a unitary assembly which willsupport the body of the user inproportion to its weight, and withresulting comfort and ease of posture in giving relaxed beneficialsleep.

It is a recognized fact that the major proportion of weight of a normalindividual is in the middle body section, whether lying midway of a bedor towards either side, with a'reducing proportion of weight towards thehead and feet.

My invention is designed to provide compensating supporting resistanceso proportioned as to form a restful bearing support under varyingconditions, well adapted to conform to body contour, having ampleresiliency properly distributed, and easily adjusted to the superimposedweight of any occupantwithin a wide range of weight variation. v

In such equipments it is customary to provide a skeleton lower frameof'suitable construction adapted to rest on the bedstead, aborder framespaced thereabove, intervening spiral coil or other springs, and meansconnecting such springs with the border frame. All such, in variousprior constructions and combinations, are old and well One preferredconstruction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of the upper portion of aspring assembly, illustrating the invention; p

Fig. 2 is an enlarged similar partial view,-part 1y broken away,illustrating detail constructions.

In the drawings, the bottom frame of any usual spring bed assemblyisomitted as unnecessary and as generally understood, so that adescription of the upper portion embodying my improvement will besufficient. Suitably supported above such lower frame isagenerally'rectangular continuous upper frame or border, of angle metalor other suitable flanged shape, having side members 2 and end members3, preferably rounded at the corners, as at 4.

The main'vertical coil springs 5 are located in longitudinal andcrosswise rows, following usual practice, supported on the lowerframework, and having connection either directly or by short diagonalhelical springs B, with the several framing and strip elements oftheconstruction.-

Extending longitudinally between the endmost members 3, but notconnected directly with them, are a series of flat strips 1 of thinsheet metal, suitably formed for attachment of said springs 6. As shownmore clearly in Fig. 2, the opposite edges of such strips 1 are providedatintervals with small transverse holes 8 for connection with the hookedor bent terminals of oppositely extending pairs of such diagonal springs6, and with one or more pairs of other oppositely extending lateralsprings, as hereinafter described. The endmost series of. coil springs 5and also the outer side rows of such springs, have connection bysuitable headed pins 9, extending downwardly or upwardly from the border2-3, with which the upper loop of such springs 5 engage, entirely aroundthe four sides and corners of the border frame member. The ends ofstrips I as shown, terminate some distance inwardly from the end members3, and are connected by pairs of the short helical diagonal springs 6with the several adjacent outermost and the entire series of inner coils5.

For the purpose of providing the middle transverse supporting springreinforcement, I utilize plural rows, as two or more, of helical springsl0 extending in successive plural width sections clear across betweenthe several adjacent strips I and between the outermost of such stripsand the side border members 2.

Connection is made directly with perforations l I in the member 2, or bysimilar perforations in attached narrow cleats l2 as shown in Fig. 2,eitherbeing provided with single or plural holes, into which the outerhooked terminals of the outer series of springs I0, 100, or lllb engage.

Each of the several strips 1, at transverselyalining locations, isprovided at opposite edges with the series of holes 8, so that when thusconnected there is a continuous series of spaced apart sets of maximum,intermediate and, minimum strength and tension springs providingsupporting members of varying area across the entire Width of the mainunit. The drawings illustrate four such complete sets of three helicalseach at the middle portion, beyond which toward each end is a similarseries of relatively lesser tension sets, as two, of helical springs, asat Illa. Ihe single springs lllb outwardly beyond these toward each endare of still lesser tension and supporting surface, and are similarlyconnected, and also connected with the side border members 2, by theirhooked terminals.

As thus arranged the transverse tensioning resistance to thesuperimposed load gradually increases inwardly from each end, or percontra, gradually decreases from the middle transverse plural series,toward each end. Likewise the corresponding supporting area of theseveral groups of such transverse supporting members varies in the samerelative proportions.

Each of the several inner coils 5 is also connected with adjacent stripsby the diagonally disposed shorter helicals 6, so that as thus arrangedthere is a continuous interconnection between the vertical coil springmembers 5 by their upper loops with the said strips and with thesurrounding border frame.

There is also a positive connection between the ends of each of the saidseveral strips with the loops of the outer spring members 5 diagonallysidewise. And finally, there is a continuous transverse connectionbetween the side members 2 and each of the several strips successively,by means of the maximum tension series of transverse springs II], theintermediate lesser tension springs Illa, and the outermost springs lb,of minimum tenslon.

A feature of advantage which is sometimes useful in connection with thestrips is that their edge portions beyond the openings 8 may be recessedfor clearance, as indicated at l3.

It will be understood that the terminals of the several springs 6, ID,Illa, and lllb are preferably hooked or bent, so as to engage around themain coils 5 for fastening, and with particular facility and ease areinsertable into and out of the strip openings 8, due to the rounded andrecessed edge portions as shown.

It will thus be seen that change or substitution of stronger or weakersprings is facilitated, to adapt the construction to variable weightusers, if desired.

By the construction as shown and above described the resiliency of theupper portion of the unit is maintained throughout its entire area,together with a graduated resistance in both resilience and areaproportioned to the load towards each end. The construction alsoprovides ample facility for regulating the desired resistance todownward deflection, by varying the numbers of the several transversesets of springs, more or less, wherever necessary.

Thus the strip may be provided with additional extra holes for additionof extra springs whereever desired, or certain of the springs may beremoved or omitted, whereby to regulate the supporting efficiency withentire satisfaction to the user, in proportion ,to the variable weightresting upon the same.

It will also be understood that the construction may be changed orvaried by the skilled mechanic or manufacturer in various detailconstruction, as to the proportions, arrangement, or specific characterof the different elements, form or shape of the supporting members,their connections, etc., but all such changes are to be understood aswithin the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A spring assembly as described provided with an outer border frame, aplurality of parallel strips extending longitudinally of the frame, coilsprings directly connecting the extreme terminals of the strips with theframe, series of transverse resilient supporting members connectingadjacent strips with each other and with the frame of maximum tensionacross the middle portion of the assembly and of diminishing tensiontowards opposite outer portions thereof.

2. A spring assembly as described provided with an outer border frame, aplurality of parallel strips extending longitudinally of the frame, coilsprings directly connecting the extreme terminals of the strips with theframe, series of transverse resilient supporting members connectingadjacent strips with each other and with the frame of maximum tensionand supporting area across the middle portion of the assembly and ofdiminishing tension and area towards opposite outer portions of theassembly in the direction of the strips.

3. A spring assembly for beds comprising in combination with a series ofsupporting coil springs and a surrounding border frame, a plurality oflongitudinal strips having resilient connection with the several coilsprings, means connecting the'outermost coil springs with the frame, andseries of transverse springs connecting adjacent strips With each otherand the outermost strips with the border frame in plural strand sets ofmaximum tension across the middle portion of the assembly and of lesstension and diminishing number towards each end thereof.

4. A spring assembly for beds comprising in combination with a series ofsupporting coil springs and a surrounding border frame connectedtherewith, a plurality ofspaced apart thin metal longitudinal stripshaving resilient radial connection with the several coil springs, andseries of transverse resilient supporting members connecting adjacentstrips with each other and with the frame in plural strand sets ofmaximum area across the middle portion of the assembly and ofdiminishing number and area towards outer end portions thereof.

5. A spring assembly for beds comprising in combination with a series ofsupporting coil springs and a surrounding border frame connectedtherewith, a plurality of spaced apart thin metal longitudinal stripshaving resilient connection with the several coil springs, and series oftransverse resilient supporting members connecting adjacent strips witheach other and with the frame in plural strand sets of maximum areaacross the middle portion of the assembly and of diminishing number andarea towards outer end portions thereof, each such series of supportingmembers being connected with opposite sides of the border frame bysprings of corresponding maximum area and tension for the middle portionof the assembly and of diminishing number and tension towards oppositeouter end portions thereof.

6. A spring assembly for beds comprising in combination with a series ofsupporting coil springs and a surrounding border frame connected withthe outer members thereof, a plurality of spaced apart thin metallongitudinal strips having direct diagonal resilient connection with theseveral coil springs, and series of transverse springs connectingadjacent strips With each other and the outermost strips with the borderframe in plural strand sets of maximum tension across the middle portionof the assembly and of decreasing number and tension towards each endthereof.

'7. A bedspring assembly comprising in combination with a standardseries of supporting coils and a surrounding border frame havingconnection with the outer members thereof, of spaced apart longitudinalstrips resiliently diagonally and directly connected with the coils, agraduated transverse series of spaced sets of helical springs connectingadjacent strips with each other and the outermost strips with the borderframe consisting of outer single and inner plural rows of helicalsincreasing in number and tension toward and through a middleload-supporting zone of maximum resistance.

8. In a spring assembly for beds on the same general plane as the topsof the usual combined coil springs, a border frame having inner holdingperforation-s, a spaced apart series of longitudinal fiat metal stripshaving similar perforations through their opposite edges in transverseregister with the border frame perforations, diagonally arranged springsdirectly connecting the strips thereby with the endwise, sidewise, and

inner coil springs, and transverse series of single and plural helicalsprings connecting adjacent strips with each other and the outermoststrips with the border frame by said perforations, the number andtension of said springs increasing towards the middle from both endswhereby to provide an increased tension zone midway of the length of theassembly.

. MORRIS

